Eloise: The Animated Series (2006)

Eloise: The Animated Series is a collection of five 2-part, 48-min episodes and one 3-part, 72-min episode about the escapades of Eloise ("I'm six!"). The voice talents of Tim Curry, Lynn Redgrave, Mary Matilyn Mouser, Rob Paulsen, and more are top notch. The series is honestly a pleasure and a joy to watch -- full of imagination and spirit (both impish and holiday) -- with much of the originality of the books (drawn on Kay Thompson's stories and characters and Hilary Knight's illustrations) paired with its own magic (seen in the delightful animation, storyboarding, and voice talent). For more details, see my separate reviews for each of the following episodes, which together now offer a full 5 hours of online viewing: Me, Eloise (48 min, Eloise throws her own birthday party for all in the Plaza Hotel, 4.5 stars), Little Miss Christmas (72 min, Eloise throws a Christmas party for all in the Plaza Hotel with Santa as the expected guest of honor, 4.5 stars), Eloise Goes to School (48 min, Eloise blows off her tutor for the last time and must attend private school, 3.5 stars), Eloise in Hollywood (48 min, Eloise shows her acting skills can go beyond being a drama princess, 4 stars), Eloise's Rawther Unusual Halloween (48 min, Eloise sleuths down the truth behind the Plaza Hotel's ghost stories, 3.5 stars), and Eloise in Springtime (48 min, Nanny goes on holiday as Eloise bonds with her stand-in nanny from Greenwich Village, 5 stars). The Halloween episode -- the only one I don't review separately since it is not available individually as a rental on this service -- is the least fulfilling since it nearly resembles a Scooby-Doo episode. Overall, however, for its sweet and feel-good spirit and esp. the way its characters make authentic and honest interpersonal connections, I give this series -- now all available on IW -- 5 stars.